Teedra Moses is the definition of endurance.
Once a stylist to the stars, the songbird found her calling as a critically acclaimed singer-writer – crafting classics for such ‘Complex Simplicity.’
She also has penned smashes for many others – including Christina Milian‘s 2004 ‘Dip It Low.’
With the song reaching its 15th anniversary this week, Moses has reflected on how the release changed her life.
A valuable lesson awaits below…
Via Teedra Moses:
15 years ago #ChristinaMiliana released #DipitLow on this day. (Video styled by my bestest friend @nonjamckenzie ) Months after I learned what it meant to own your own publishing. I didn’t have a place for my kids and i to live when this record dropped. My children where staying with their grandmother and i was sleeping on couches. I will never forget that next January when the 1st @bmi check came showing payments for Dip It Low… the first check alone was $349,000 and every three months after big ass checks would come in.
More work started to come and my financial situation changed drastically. Moral to the story is #OWNERSHIP!!! I have been in countless situations where i could have sold my publishing and got the money i needed to help me out of a bad financial situation but i never did.
Now I not only own my publishing but i have started to retain ownership of the masters of any music i put out. Labels will find anyway not to pay you but when they are simply distributors and they NEVER gave you a dime to make your music… when its time to pay you there is NO BULLSH*T! All they can do is RUN ME MY MONEY!!
I NEVER cared about fame but i ALWAYS cared about my bag and the healthiness of such bags! Independence ain’t for everybody but i realised that its the only real way for an artist like me to get the money I work for… #period
More power to her.